Landlords advised to keep student homes 'spick and span' to enjoy best returns

While it may be true that most students don't exactly have the highest of standards, that doesn't mean landlords should scrimp and save on maintaining their properties, one leading expert says.

With the start of the new academic year just days away, landlords across the UK are cashing in on strong student numbers and filling their properties for another year.

However, while student accommodation can provide the savvy landlord with a reliable stream of income, it also takes some work, particularly if you want your home to stand out from the rest and if you want to attract the best - and-paying - students.

This is where regular maintenance comes in, with Malcolm Harrison of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme advising landlords to spend money on doing their properties up on a regular basis - especially if they want to rent out in more competitive markets such as Oxford, Cambridge and London.

"Every three to five years a landlord might want to redecorate. They should take that decision on the circumstances and on the market too - there is no point in putting an untidy property on the market because obviously it won't let as fast as the other ones," he advises.

And, while he admits that different students have different expectations of rental accommodation, "if you are talking about the sky-high rental market in central London, then it has got to be really spick and span".

Fortunately, the days of landlords being unwilling to invest in their student properties for fear of their handiwork just being wrecked by irresponsible tenants are over, meaning growing numbers are opting to 'spend money to make money'.

Alongside the Tenancy Deposit Scheme itself, which gives both landlords and students greater protection with regards to the deposit paid on a property, landlord insurance policies offer extra protection against willful or accidental damage.